Ballad of a Hero
by Niltiak
Summary: Ocarina of Time fanfiction. The 'real' story of Link from his journal.
1. Entry One

I don't know the date. I'm not even sure if I know who I am anymore. All these new feelings and emotions are bombarding me when I least expect them to. I don't even want to go outside for fear that seeing will make me believe what Roru told me. I don't want what he said to be true. I don't want to be a hero. I don't know why I started this quest to begin with. Why did I listen to the Great Deku Tree? Why didn't I just stay with Saria and the other Kokiri? Because I was stupid, that's why. I was curious and adventurous and bored with forest life and gullible. I believed Navi, the Deku Tree, and that Princess. I was stupid, and now I've lost seven years of my life and maybe even my friends too.   
  
There is one thing I am sure of. I'm glad that I have you. 'You' are a leather bound book of blank thick paper, the best kind to write on with a quill pen, which is what I have. This is where I'll write all my thoughts and feelings, and hopefully Navi won't snoop in here. Well, here goes:  
  
Roru said that I am the prophesized Hero of Time. But how can I, a Kokiri, be such a thing? It doesn't make any sense. Now that I think about it, pulling a sword out of a pedestal, hearing that horrible, smug laughter, then waking up in a seventeen year old's body and facing a sage doesn't make sense either. Why... I'll write more later. Navi is pestering me to continue on with my 'quest'. Sometimes, I wish I hadn't ever met the faerie.   
  
-Link 


	2. Entry Two

Something has happened in the few minutes between my last entry. I was just about to leave the sword room, in the Temple of Time, when a boy appeared and stopped me. He was a strange boy, but he seemed familiar, and I've never seen him before in my life. Or I don't think I have, it was hard to tell, for his face is almost completely hidden. Anyway, he said his name was Sheik and that he was the last of the Sheikah, Impa's people. He also told me to collect a tool I'd need to help Saria, for he said she's in danger. So this is the scene at the moment: I'm lounging off in the corner of the sword room writing this, Sheik is watching me and seems to be camped out in front of the pedestal, and Navi is busily jabbering in my ear, trying to get me motivated.   
  
I really don't want to leave. I don't want to learn that Hyrule has really changed as much as Roru said. But if it's to help Saria, I'll do it. Write to you soon.   
  
-Link 


	3. Entry Three

Roru told the truth. Hyrule Castle and market are...gone. The whole deserted area is swarming with the Re-dead. I write this now in the safety of Kakariko Village, in that kind woman's house. The food is good and the beds are cheap, and the company is rather lively. I was surprised on arrival to find many familiar faces from Hyrule market here in the village. Many of them have found comfort in this lady's home as well. But enough chatter, I must tell you what has happened in the few hours between my last entry.  
  
Dampe the grave keeper has died in the seven years that I have lost. The little boy is gone as well, so the graveyard is now silent, except for the occasional appearances of poes. Well, I went into the grave keeper's hut and read his last entry in his diary. It read, 'Whoever reads this, please enter my grave. I will let you have my stretching, shrinking keepsake. I'm waiting for you,' and at the bottom was his signature. Well, after many bribes by Navi, I pulled back Dampe's gravestone and jumped inside.  
  
Inside I did not find a coffin. Instead I was surprised to see Dampe's ghost, hovering in front of me, holding a lantern. He seemed happy to see me and asked me to follow him. The catch, however, was that he was going to go through a maze very quickly and I was to keep up. Also, he threw fire at me from his lantern to slow me down. Again, Navi put her whining skills to work and eventually got me to oblige. (I must write this here so I won't forget: Navi promised to not speak a word for an entire day when I was finished with my task as long as I kept up with Dampe. Let's hope she keeps her promise!)  
  
There were many things inside the maze that caught my eye (which was the point) like different rupees, but I stayed on track, mostly because I could hear some Re-dead moaning not far away. I finished besides Dampe's attempts to make me fail and acquired the hookshot, a small device that shoots out and grasps faraway objects, then pulls the user towards them. Navi was thrilled. I can safely say I was somewhat less then enthusiastic. It is, after all, another thing for me to carry. Anyway, Dampe and I said our farewells, and then I escaped from that place using the Song of Time. I ended up in the windmill, and the strange old man with the accordion taught me the Song of Storms.   
  
I must admit that remembering all these songs is a hassle. I already know Zelda's Lullaby, Saria's Song, Epona's Song, the Song of Time, the Sun's Song, and now the Song of Storms. Anymore and I'm afraid it'll take quite a long time for me to remember a certain one. Navi is no help at all when I'm trying to remember a song. She can be okay most of the time and teaches me about my enemies I fight and how to defeat them, but other than that I'm afraid she's fairly useless. Anyway, it's really late now and I have to travel to the Temple of Time in the morning and ask Sheik what I should do next. I'm really worried about Saria. Just a while ago, before I came in for the night, I quickly played her song and 'spoke' with her. She sounded rather frightened and nervous, saying that there were monsters in the forest. I hope I reach her in time. I don't want to lose my greatest friend.  
  
-Link 


	4. Entry Four

Many things have happened since I last spoke to you. First of all, I ran back to the Temple of Time from Kakariko Village right as the sun was rising. Sheik told me that Saria was in the Forest Temple, which is in the Sacred Forest Meadow, where we used to meet when I was ten. My extreme worry for my friend caused me to go right away, without the usual persuading from my tiny companion. I was shocked to find Kokiri Forest so unnaturally occupied by the occasional bullies that are usually found in the Lost Woods. It took me awhile, but I eventually found that all my Kokiri friends were hiding safely inside their homes. Much to my surprise and sadness, however, everyone looked exactly the same as I had left them! And no one recognized me in my present form! Mido was not there and they were all worried about him, Saria, and myself. Apparently, I never came back to Kokiri Forest.  
  
I don't understand it. Why wouldn't I come back, not even once? I realize I was lost for seven years, but still, when I was ten, didn't I ever come back? This question is lingering with me and will continue to do so until I find the answer. If I ever can return to the way I was, the first thing I will do is visit my home. But, I still must continue on with my story, even though of my distress. Anyway, I quickly ran into the Lost Woods and made my way to the meadow. Here's something on a lighter note than above: As I made my way through the forest I was surprised to find my path blocked by none other than Mido, as he has done several times before. I've never really liked him that much, for he has always seemed to have a dislike for me, but seeing him again gave me such a warm feeling of home and happiness I couldn't help but secretly forgive him for all the times he was mean to me.  
  
Mido didn't recognize me though, just like all the others. I think that his little crush on Saria has held strong through the past seven years, for he was very defensive when I asked to get by. To prove that I was a friend of Saria's, I played her song for him. As I had guessed, he was shocked that I knew it (and somewhat jealous I believe) but he let me pass feeling that if I knew Saria's special song, then I was someone trustworthy. My happiness didn't fade until I made it to the entrance of the meadow.  
  
Saria had been right, there were monsters in the meadow. They were giant, tall, massive, ugly things with spears and hot tempers. If one so much as spotted me, I was sent on a painful ride down the trail. There were many of them and I spent quite an amount of time sneaking about, but I made it to the stairs and what did I find? A bigger, uglier one with a club. Sound like fun? I didn't think so. If it wasn't for my loyalty to Saria, I would have turned around and left right at the moment, but I set my jaw stubbornly and continued my task.   
  
I readied myself, and then took off on a zigzag sprint, ignoring the thing's club (which was two times bigger than me), and quickly slipped by it and ran up into the heart of the meadow, right in front of the temple. But Saria wasn't there. Instead, I was greeted by Sheik.  
  
I don't know about you, but this boy was starting to get on my nerves. First of all, he just barges in without warning, talks in a bunch of verses and riddles, tells me what to do (he's getting very close to being as annoying as Navi), all the while never showing his face. If he wasn't so fast, magically powerful, or if he wasn't supposedly helping me, then I'd really beat some sense of respect into him. That's what I'd like to do sometimes. I'd like to teach everyone who bosses me around a lesson or two about my small reserve of serenity. Anyway, I grinned and bared it as he taught me a special song (another one, grrr...) that will let me 'warp' to this meadow anytime. Then, right after the quick lesson, he just left me to deal with the temple by myself. Nice guy, huh?  
  
Oh well, I should go soon. Right now I'm sitting on the stump where Saria used to play her faerie ocarina and it's getting harder to see every second, for the sun's setting. I'm too exhausted to bother with the temple at the moment, so I'm going to have another meager meal of my small reserve of jerky, tend to the cuts and colorful bruises that are slowly appearing on my ribs, then sleep until dawn. I will write more when something of interest happens, which unluckily happens almost all the time now for me. Anyway, I'll be here...  
  
-Link 


	5. Entry Five

I've been working hard all day in the temple. I only have one question: Why is the Forest Temple so much like one giant puzzle? What kind of a person would design such a thing? All right, I lied. I had two questions and about a million more. I still haven't found Saria, which is really starting to affect me, because this temple is so dark and gloomy and causing me to feel extremely lonely. It's true that Navi is with me, but she is always off in her own little world or is totally focused on the 'mission'. I don't understand faeries. Where does she get all the energy to be extremely alert and perky? Sometimes I think that she's evil and saps it from me, but that's more of a fantasy than reality. If she were evil, then I'd get rid of her in a flash, but as I said, that's only a pleasant dream. I hope she won't become nosy again and read this, for then after she'd read it she'd become extremely offensive and find little ways to torture me. That's our relationship. We take great pleasure in criticizing and hurting the other, and she's very good at pulling my heartstrings. My temper is the only thing that scares her, however, and since it is such a ferocious flaring thing when ignited, she rarely tries to anger me.  
  
In this temple there are four poe sisters that I have to find and defeat. All ready I've defeated three and collected the map, compass, and faerie bow by traveling through the maze of rooms and fighting the stupid creatures that get in my way. The bow is what I'm most happy about. It's very small and the arrows are as well, but I already know that it will be a very important item for me to have, and it's so light that I don't mind carrying it with me. I'm starting to feel tired, so I think I'll divide the remaining jerky in my pocket into two servings and eat one now and save the other for breakfast tomorrow. After that, I am going to sleep, which will not be a problem in this silent and mostly deserted temple. I'll write at a good time tomorrow.  
  
-Link 


	6. Entry Six

My life isn't fair. Neither is Saria's. Here is what happened after the entry above:  
I quickly defeated the last poe sister and rode the elevator down into another puzzle room. In this one I had to push the wall around in order to make it into the boss room. It took me a long time, for after a few pushes I had to rest and rub my sore muscles, but Navi continued to try to drive me, as if I was a slave. (She has obviously forgotten her promise and whenever I try to remind her of it, she swears she has never said anything of the sort.) Anyway, after a time, I finally could enter the boss room.   
  
The boss room was nothing more than a small room with several of the same pictures hung all around, but as soon as I tried to leave, something appeared out of nowhere behind me. When I turned around I thought it was Ganondorf, the evil king of the Gerudo, the man who has changed Hyrule so much! He even had that smug laugh! But, luckily the thing soon revealed that it was merely a phantom creation of the evil king.   
  
The phantom had a strange way of attacking me. He'd leap in and out of the pictures, continually blinding me with pain as he sent large amounts of magic attacks at me. I was supposed to hit him with my arrows and send him back into the paintings as soon as he appeared, but unfortunately for me, my aim is not exactly the best. Navi, of course, was entirely useless as she always is in dangerous situations.  
  
After several hits from my arrows, the phantom abandoned his usual attack and tried something new. He decided to float in front of me and send magical energy at me with his staff while I was supposed to hit it back to him with my sword. All I can say is, accuracy is a rare thing and by this time I was already frustrated and tired. After many exhausting minutes, however, I did manage to defeat him. The first thing I heard? The real Ganondorf's voice mocking me and cursing his creation. Right before my eyes, he banished the creature into an endless void between dimensions and I was left alone again. But my solitude didn't last for long. I was soon transported to the Chamber of Sages once again, but instead of Roru, I was facing my friend, Saria.   
  
Seeing my friend again looking so young and familiar tugged at my heart so much I could hardly breathe from my homesickness and loneliness. Saria, too, seemed just as heartbroken. She spoke to me with such sorrow I had to bite my lip to keep tears from filling my eyes. I couldn't speak and was thankful that she understood that. She explained to me that thanks to me she can help fight Ganondorf and has awakened as the Sage of the Forest. Unfortunately, she also told me that we could never live as we did in the Kokiri Forest seven years ago. She has to remain in the Sacred Realm and I have to return to Hyrule to awaken the other sages and finish my destiny.  
  
When she said her last goodbye she sadly told me that she will always be my friend. Only then did one tear fall. But, before I could say anything, I soon found myself standing in front of the Deku Tree once again. I quickly wiped my eyes and looked around. No one was in sight but something at my feet caught my eye. There was a tiny little sprout sticking up from the ground and as I bent down to look at it, of course it had to jump up at me, sending my flying backwards.  
  
When I finally re-gathered my wits, I spoke to the strange smiling thing that had planted itself right in front of the deceased Deku Tree. It spoke to me in it's high chirping voice and said that it is the Deku Sprout and thanks to me and Saria it can now grow and flourish and protect the forest. I almost laugh now because the perky thing didn't even realize that I wasn't even really listening. I was too caught up in the sadness of my own mind. But then it said it was going to tell me something about my past, so I snapped to attention instantly.  
  
This is the major points of the story: There once was a war going on in the land of Hyrule. At one point in the war a Hyrulian mother and her baby boy escaped from the battles and found themselves in Kokiri Forest. The mother was fatally wounded and the Great Deku Tree decided after she died to take the child in and raise him as a Kokiri.   
  
The Deku Sprout then told me that I am really a Hyrulian and was always destined to leave the forest anyway, as if that made me any happier. Now as I write this in the solitude of my own house, I realize that now more than anything, I wish I could just have things the way they were before I met Navi. Nothing that has happened is truly her fault, but I have this feeling that all my friends that I still have will be taken from me. I cannot write anymore for I need to sleep and think things through. I only wish that I told Saria that I.... Have to stop, Navi is doing what she does best: Being a pest.  
  
-Link 


	7. Entry Seven

Not much has happened lately…yet. This morning I had a big, proper, Kokiri breakfast and one girl was even kind enough to give me some salve for my wounds. I spoke quickly with Mido before I left and he told me things I already knew: That Saria liked me and that he was sorry for being mean to me. Of course he didn't know it was I, but still, I was very moved by his guilt. Then, I headed off for the Temple of Time, mostly because I didn't know what to do next.  
  
Sheik was in the temple, inside the sword room still. I don't understand him. There must be more than one of him, how else is he everywhere at once? He taught me another song, one that lets me 'warp' to the temple. Then, finally, he told me that I can travel back to my original time whenever I choose to, by simply placing the sword back in the pedestal. This has been the best news so far, but I have a bad feeling in my stomach that something is wrong with the Gorons. When I look up at Death Mountain, I see a huge, unnatural, smoky cloud above it and it worries me. I think I'll head there next and check to see what's wrong with Durunia.  
  
-Link 


	8. Entry Eight

I have some bad news. Goron City is almost completely abandoned except for three inhabitants: A cute little Goron named Link, the shop owner, and the giant. Yes, Link is named after me, for he's Durunia's son. The only way I could get the little thing's attention was to catch him with a bomb, and I felt so bad doing that. The kid was hysterical. Apparently, all of the Gorons (minus the ones mentioned above and Durunia) had been captured by Ganondorf to be used as an example to other races how powerful the evil king is. Apparently, Ganondorf revived a dragon that had once eaten and terrorized the Gorons. Link said this all through tears and could not be consoled by my questions.  
  
I was horrified by this news. When I asked the little Goron where his father was, he told me that when Durunia had returned to Goron City and found all the Gorons missing, he immediately headed off to rescue them. Talking of his father seemed to relax the kid a little, and he looked up at me and told me that I was a hero among the Gorons and that I should go help his father. Then, he gave me a Goron tunic and pointed the way to where the Gorons had been taken. The path was behind the statue in Durunia's room.  
  
I think my guess is coming true. I think I'm not only destined to be the Hero of Time, I truly think I'm destined to be friendless when all this is done. Right now I'm standing in the hallway behind the statue. I have already been in the crater where it leads, but I shall not take you there. You'd burn up from the intense heat. I will write more when I return, but first, before I go, I must buy some food from the shopkeeper. My stomach has been growling all day.  
  
-Link 


	9. Entry Nine

Sheik and I had a fight. It was quite a large one, too. It was over me learning a song. This is how it went:  
  
Sheik: "In order to return here, you must play the Bolero of Fire." He pulled out his harp and started to play.  
  
Me: I was fed up with songs and glared at him. "I don't want to learn another song."  
  
Sheik: Stopped playing immediately and said, "You have to learn it. It's part of your destiny."  
  
Me: "My destiny is to become an ocarinist? I thought I was supposed to find all the Sages."  
  
Sheik: Put his harp away and clenched his fists. "You must learn these songs. They are vital for your journey."  
  
Me: "Is that so? Why can't I just travel up here like any person instead of warping?"  
  
Sheik: "Because. Do you not want to save Hyrule?"  
  
Me: "Well, seven years ago I didn't know what I was getting myself into, but if I had known everything that would have happened, I don't think I would have even left Kokiri Forest."  
  
Sheik: "Yes you would have. It's your destiny."  
  
Me: "You never know. Destiny isn't fixed is it?"  
  
Sheik: "Yes it is."  
  
Me: "Is my destiny to save Hyrule?"  
  
Sheik: "Of course."  
  
Me: "What if I fail?"  
  
Sheik: "You can't. Your destiny is to succeed."  
  
Me: "If I quit now it's not. I can make my own destiny."  
  
(At this point Sheik truly lost his temper.)  
  
Sheik: "YOU CANNOT QUIT! YOU HAVE TO SAVE HYRULE! IT'S YOUR DESTINY AND YOUR DESTINY IS FIXED! NOW LEARN THE BOLERO OF FIRE BEFORE I DO SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BOTH REGRET!  
  
Me: I pouted for a few seconds, and then finally pulled out my Ocarina.  
  
Sheik: Immediately relaxed and became cheerful again.   
  
The rest is this: I learned the Bolero of Fire even though I didn't want to, Navi was smug that someone had finally beaten me in an argument, and I took a little peek into the Fire Temple. All I can say is, I am not happy. Not at all. I must sleep now, but I'll write more after I go through the Fire Temple.  
  
-Link 


	10. Entry Ten

I have not written for several days. Here is the reason why: My injuries gained from the Fire Temple have kept me confined in Durunia's room until I heal. My fingers have been blistering from the burns I was unlucky enough to get. I wasn't able to hold an instrument as fine as a quill pen in them. I also have many scratches on my arms, face, and legs from various creatures that didn't want me to venture forth. Navi tells me I am a handsome Hyrulian, but I know that if I keep doing as I'm told, I will most likely finish my task as a scarred and disfigured young man. I don't care about my looks, but I don't want to become mortally wounded or die doing something I don't believe in. That's how I feel about it, but nobody seems to care.  
  
I think Navi is starting to realize the dangers of this stupid quest and that I'm not immortal. She is very sober now and isn't as pesky. Sometimes I envy her for her immortality, but then I think of how long I'd be stuck with her if I were immortal. The thought sends shivers down my spine.  
  
Okay, enough complaining on my part. I must tell you what has happened after my last entry. Once I entered the Fire Temple, who do you think was the first person I saw? Durunia. He seemed rather rushed and quickly asked a favor of me. He asked if I could release all of his people while he went and looked for the weapon that could kill the dragon. I said I would, willing to do anything for my friend. I still don't understand the 'brother' thing, however...   
  
The Fire Temple was full of terrified Gorons, all of them fearing that they would be eaten. I had to wander around lava pits, wooden bridges (Wooden! I still don't understand it!), and mazes that shot fire at you if you went the wrong way. I flinch as I say that most of the times, I took the wrong path.   
  
Every time I released a Goron from their cage with a key, they all spoke to me of a 'special crop'. It took me nearly the whole day to figure out that they were talking about the weapon Durunia was searching for! I was a little worried when it was I who found the 'crop'. I would have thought Durunia would find it instead of me.  
  
The 'crop' has a better name that describes to you what it is. The megaton hammer is its name, and it speaks the truth. Although the hammer is useful, it is so heavy I can barely hold it, let alone carry it with me all day. It smashes rocks with one swing, smashes boulders with three, and moves items that cannot be moved otherwise. If only it didn't weigh so much, then I'd appreciate such a unique tool, but it weighs more than it needs to and I can't find it in my heart to desire such a thing.   
  
After obtaining the megaton hammer, I easily found the boss key and went into the very heart of the temple. There I fought Volvagia, the evil dragon the Gorons feared so much. Volvagia is both beautiful and ugly at once. Her beauty is so dangerous and her temper so foul, that's what makes her ugly. She screeched and tried to scorch me, while I ran about, trying to hit her on the head with the hammer. She dove in and out of lava pits, occasionally poking her head out and hissing at me. That was when I'd strike. It took several hits, but after a small hissing and screeching fit from the evil dragoness, she wasted away into nothing.   
  
Damn, my hands hurt. I'll write more tomorrow, I promise. Night for now, I'll probably leave tomorrow. Goron food is too tough for my stomach.  
  
-Link 


	11. Entry Eleven

All right. My hands have been covered in some salve and the blisters are healing. Now, on with my story:  
  
After I defeated Volvagia, I was again transported to the Chamber of Sages. There I saw Durunia. He thanked me and told me what a good guy I was (I roll my eyes at the memory). Then, he gave me his medallion and called me 'Brother' one last time. It felt good, it really did. I only wonder who will raise his son. The little thing was proud of his father of course, but who will take care of him? Maybe the shopkeeper or the giant (they seem reliable). Anyway, I'm a happy person, although now Navi is pestering me to go to Zora's Domain and visit that lovesick fish-princess, Ruto.   
  
I have nothing against the girl, I really don't. But she just... She wants to marry me. Why? I don't know. I don't want to marry her. I don't want to marry anyone. Besides, I wouldn't make a good husband since my wife would have to deal with Navi too. The poor woman... Also, I don't want to have children either. That'd be even worse than being around Navi all day. That would be worse than dying at a young age, I should know, I'm still a child in my mind. I'm always concocting evil tricks to play on people I dislike in my twisted, young mind. I wouldn't be able to raise a child if they were like me.  
  
Too many things are running through my head. I will go to Zora's Domain, just to check it out. I'll write more later.  
  
-Link 


	12. Entry Twelve

Zora's Domain has completely frozen over. All the Zoras are gone except for the King and the shop owner. But I cannot talk to either because a red glowing substance that seems to be some sort of spell surrounds them. This is bad news.   
  
I found out that there is an ice cavern where Lord Jub-Jub used to live. I had to jump across several iceberg things to get there, so you know I fell in a lot. The. Water. Was. Cold. Very. Cold. Anyway, I went inside, got frozen by ice bats and these weird misty things, acquired new footwear (Iron Boots, ugh. They're just as heavy as the megaton hammer.), and learned yet another song. Grr.  
  
Sheik bored me with yet another spew of verses before he taught me the song, but he said them rather huffily. At least he remembers that we had a fight. Navi never does, the stupid bug. Anyway, the song is called the Serenade of Water. Oh, joy. Now I have to go to the Water Temple and help Princess Ruto (I swear, if she tries to get close to me again, I'll throw my damned Iron Boots at her).  
  
Heh, I re-read what I just wrote and laugh at my pitiful self. I wouldn't do that; I'm too agreeable and stupid. I hate how I just let people walk all over me. Okay, right here I'll make a promise to myself: Next time I feel it is the last straw, it will be. Once that happens, I'll make sure nobody treats me like that again. There, I said it. Now let's hope I'll do just that. Well, so much for now. See ya.  
  
-Link 


	13. Entry Thirteen

Blue fire is very fun to play with, I've learned. I found it and used it in the Ice Caverns, and I'm sure Navi thinks I'm a pyromaniac now. I can't help it. I'm, mentally, ten, right? I have an excuse to have an interest in fire, right? Well, okay. Maybe I like it a little too much but… Who cares?  
  
Anyway, I put some blue fire in a jar and dropped it on the glowing web's surrounding King Zora and the shop door. Anyway, King Zora gave me a Zora tunic. I must say I like the color and its ability. I can breathe underwater now… Oh, crap. I'm sure Ruto will be pleased with her father's gift as well if she still wants to marry me. Please Din, Farore, Nayru, anybody up there, please make Ruto not love me. I don't want to deal with her.   
  
Okay, I'm going to sleep now, although Navi tells me I'd better make it light. I wish I said the horrid things that were going through my mind when she told me that, but I didn't. Oh well. I'll eat the fish King Zora gave me and take my gift of sleep. I'll write later.  
  
-Link 


End file.
